Sixth Circuit Shrugs, Upholds Illegal 17+ Year Sentence Based on Mistaken ACCA Plea

Most criminal defendants try to avoid being sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which sets a 15-year mandatory minimum for certain defendants if they have three previous convictions for certain qualifying offenses. Defendant: In the district court, I pleaded guilty and accidentally agreed that I had three qualifying offenses. But in reality, I had only two! So my 212-month sentence is a mistake. Sixth Circuit: Shrugs. You and your lawyer should've been more careful. Sentence affirmed. Dissent: Um, imposing a much longer sentence Congress did not intend seems like an error we should correct.

The case is United States v. Jackson, No. 25-1223 (6th Cir. Apr. 15, 2026).